Young women are bombarded with deceptive messages that can leave them believing their self-worth is defined by a perfect body, name-brand clothes, cool friends, and a relationship with “Mr. Right.”

Knowing it’s time to expose the lies and help young women realize the truth about their self-worth, Debby Jones, wife of Columbia International University president Dr. Bill Jones, and special guest Dawndy Mercer Plank of WIS TV are hosting a one-day conference called “Worthy.”

“Worthy” will be held on September 10, in Shortess Chapel on the CIU campus. Based on the book “Lady in Waiting,” co-author Debby Jones will help young women discover what the Bible says about their self-worth and how to become the woman God intended.

“How thrilled I am to be a part of the Worthy event,” Jones said. “God touched my heart in a unique way when I was a young woman, and my prayer is that He will speak to other ladies through the story of what He’s done in my life.”

Dawndy Mercer Plank, a popular TV news anchor in Columbia will be the emcee for the event.

“Our focus as women needs to be on knowing who we are, knowing Who made us, and learning how to intimately love and be loved by Him,” explains Plank. “That’s what Worthy is all about.”

The name for the conference comes from the Bible’s book of Ruth. In Ruth 3:11, Ruth is commended by Boaz for her character with the words, “all my fellow townsmen know that you are a worthy woman.”